The Pilot Project Podcast

In Part 3 of our LIFT series, new RCAF pilot Eli shares his path from RMC to flying the T-346 Master in Italy’s International Flight Training School . He talks about early training on the Grob and Harvard II, a unique posting to CFS Alert , and the challenge of fast-jet training in Sardinia. From dogfighting, radar intercepts, and close air support to the physical and mental demands of becoming a...

In Part 2 of our fighter pilot series, Major Brian “Humza” Kilroy returns to share his journey from CF-18 Hornet instructor to RCAF Demo Pilot and now Senior National Representative at Italy’s International Flight Training School . We dive into the challenges of leading four-ship formations, training young fighter pilots at 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron , and the adrenaline of...

Ever wondered what it takes to become a Canadian fighter pilot ? Today we chat with Major Brian “Humza” Kilroy , a CF-18 Hornet pilot and instructor on the T-346 Master at Italy’s International Flight Training School . Brian takes us through his journey from growing up in Alberta and joining the Royal Canadian Air Cadets , to earning his RCAF pilot wings at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in Te...

When a Twin Otter crashed north of Yellowknife in December 2023, a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130 Hercules crew from 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron leapt into action. In this gripping episode of the Pilot Project Podcast , we talk with aircraft commander Jason Shaw and Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech) Vincent C. Benoit about the night SAR Techs parachuted into a blizzard with lifesaving...

In this first installment of The Rescue , Captain Jason Shaw and Sergeant Vincent C-Benoit of 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron take us inside the world of Canadian search and rescue operations . From their early days in the Canadian Army and Air Force - including deployments to Afghanistan and Bosnia - to the rigorous training pipeline for pilots and SAR Techs, Jason and Vince share how they beca...

Counter-Drug and Search and Rescue Aviation in the Caribbean with PAL Aerospace What is it like to fly counter-drug interdiction and Search and Rescue missions in the Caribbean? What does it take to qualify for this demanding aviation work, and how do crews prepare to execute missions as part of Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South) ? In this episode, retired RCAF Lieutenant-Colonel Tre...

RCAF to Counter-Drug and Search & Rescue Missions in the Caribbean What is it like to fly long-range patrol missions in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) , face close calls in high-stakes operations, and then transition to counter-drug and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in the Caribbean? How do Canadian military pilots prepare for this demanding work, and what challenges do they face opera...

From RCAF Patrol Missions to Counter-Drug and SAR Operations in the Caribbean What kinds of missions do a long-range patrol sensor operator and crew commander face in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) ? What challenges and close calls have they experienced, and how did those skills carry over into high-stakes counter-narcotics and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in the Caribbean? In this episod...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with: Lieutenant-Colonel Luc Coates , Commanding Officer of 418 Search and Rescue Operational Training Squadron Lieutenant-Colonel Francois Fasquelle , Commanding Officer of 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron Major Dan Faux , subject matter expert on the CC-295 Kingfisher We dive deeper into the Kingfisher , exploring how simulation and training are sha...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with: Lieutenant-Colonel Luc Coates , Commanding Officer of 418 Search and Rescue Operational Training Squadron Lieutenant-Colonel Francois Fasquelle , Commanding Officer of 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron Major Dan Faux , subject matter expert on the CC-295 Kingfisher We begin with Dan’s early days as a pilot and what led him to join the fixed-wing...

What drives someone to choose the demanding — and often dangerous — career of Search and Rescue pilot ? What early experiences shaped their paths, and what does it really take to fly missions where lives hang in the balance? In this episode, we sit down with three remarkable guests: Lieutenant-Colonel Luc Coates , Commanding Officer of 418 Search and Rescue Operational Training Squadron Lieutenant...

What’s it like to go from flying helicopters in the Royal Canadian Air Force to becoming the voice in the headset for astronauts aboard the International Space Station ? How do you transition from military aviation to serving as Deputy Branch Chief Operations Officer and CAPCOM at NASA ? In this episode, we sit down with Captain Erin Edwards — a Special Operations Aircraft Commander , Elsie MacGil...

What does it take to pass selection for one of Canada’s most elite aviation units — 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron ? How do you earn the coveted role of SOF Aircraft Commander ? And what happens when you trade a military cockpit for a mission control console at NASA ? In this episode, we sit down with Captain Erin Edwards , a trailblazing Canadian Armed Forces pilot who transitioned from...

How does a MARS Officer and Ship’s Team Diver become a Special Operations helicopter pilot? What does it take to get through the intense rigours of Phase III helicopter training — and then make the leap to 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron? In this episode, we sit down with Captain Erin Edwards , a SOF Aircraft Commander, recipient of the prestigious Elsie MacGill Award , and currently serv...

What did it take to fly Search and Rescue in the venerable (but aging) CC-115 Buffalo? What does it feel like to return to 3CFFTS as a seasoned pilot, ready to learn about the world of instructing? What's it like to be taught by your former students as you learn to fly the CC-130H Hercules? Today we sit down for part 2 of our interview with Major Dan Conway, a fixed-wing SAR pilot with over 4000 h...

What is it like to attend RMC and go through flight training in the RCAF? Why was the CC-115 Buffalo in Comox a desirable posting even with the airplane entering its sunset years? Major Dan Conway is the current Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO) of 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Greenwood NS, and soon to be the DCO of 3CFFTS in Portage la Prairie, MB. He has over 4000 flying hours including lo...

What does it take to take on the responsibility of being the Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (COS CPCC) in the wake of the larger culture change effort that the Canadian Armed Forces has pursued over the last 10 or more years? Why is culture change necessary, and what does it even mean within the context of the military? Major-General Jeannot Boucher is a helicopter pilot wit...

What does it feel like to deploy as the Commander of Task Force Jerusalem in support of OP PROTEUS in the West Bank? What does it take to take over various commands in the Tactical Helicopter force? What goes into developing a defence policy update like "Our North Strong and Free" (ONSAF)? Today we sit down for part 2 of our chat with Major-General Jeannot Boucher, an experienced helicopter pilot...

What was it like to deploy to Afghanistan as the Deputy Commanding Officer of Canadian Helicopter Forces in Afghanistan (CHFA)? What was the Tactical Helicopter role in Afghanistan at the time and how violent was it in 2009? Today we sit down with Major-General Jeannot Boucher, Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (COS CPCC). Jeannot has over 3000 flying hours, and has definitely...

What was it like to be one of the first cadres to fly the might CF-188 Hornet? What did it feel like to operate in Europe on the edge of the Iron Curtain during the Cold War? What was it like to deploy in support of the Gulf War? Dan "Alf" McWilliams is a retired RCAF Fighter pilot who operated during the Cold War. Today we sit down and talk about his operational life and focus on some stories fro...

What was it like to live in Germany on a NATO base during the Cold War as a teenager? What does it feel like to follow in your dad's footsteps and achieve your dreams to become a jet pilot? What was it like to instruct at "The Big 2" Moose Jaw when there could be up to 30 CT-114 Tutors flying at once? Today we sit down with Cold War fighter pilot Dan "Alf" McWilliams. Dan has a ton of fighter and...

What is it like to command the RCAF? What is the RCAF good at, and what needs fixing? Who are our potential main adversaries and why? What challenges will we face as we pursue modernization? Have US politics (as of recording mid-March) affected our strategies with the F35 and other acquisitions? What does the future hold for the RCAF? We will talk about all of this and much more, plus questions fr...

What does it take to complete Canada's "Top Gun", the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course? What is it like to deploy to Bosnia or take part in the bombing campaign in Kosovo with real air-to-air and ground-to-air threats? What does it take to coordinate strikes in Afghanistan? How are we shifting from a counter-insurgency to peer-to-peer warfighting mentality? Today we have Lieutenant-General Eric K...

What did it take to get the Pasisade Fires under control in LA County, California in the winter of 2025? How does aerial firefighting compare in Quebec and California? In this final part of our 2 part series on aerial firefighting, we sit down once again with aerial firefighter Pascal Duclos. Pascal has been fighting fires across Canada and the United States for many years, but this year he encoun...

What was it like to deploy to Los Angeles and fight the infamous fires of the winter of 2025? What does it take to hit the fires with precision every time? How difficult is it to scoop from a heavy sea state on the ocean, or from tight quarters in a California reservoir? In this episode we sit down with aerial firefighter Pascal Duclos. Pascal has been fighting fires across Canada and the United S...